FRANKENORG!

On the 12th November, the BIG CIC presented a session which described the use of integrated governance in a selection of organisations. Instead of explaining the details of each case, we signposted them and got into the important analysis across them.

Helping Protagonists Prepare to Lead Change

Business Integrated Governance (BIG) connects an organisation from purpose to vision, to strategy, through to delivery – and back again. It’s not a policy framework, but a way of orchestrating how decision-making works across the enterprise.

BIG provides a set of principles and components that can be applied locally and tactically. But in practice, it relies on senior sponsorship and a genuinely multi-stakeholder approach.

To give sponsors and stakeholders confidence, the BIG CIC has developed a Body of Knowledge (BoK). It sets out what BIG is, when and why to use it, the core principles and components, and a lifecycle for achieving measurable benefits.

A critical factor in helping organisations see BIG as a practical solution to strategy delivery and governance challenges is demonstrating that it works – that its concepts and components represent proven, relevant good practice.

There are several ways we do this:

• The BoK includes examples of organisations applying BIG principles in real contexts.
• The recent BIG Professional assessments gathered additional first-hand examples, highlighting both successes and pitfalls.
• However, getting organisations to discuss their governance and strategy delivery challenges publicly remains difficult.

The BIG CIC Conference provides an opportunity to share these experiences – as far as confidentiality allows.

Of course, no single example covers every element of BIG. Hence, the idea behind the FrankenOrg Session is to build a composite case: a “perfect” example of BIG in action, assembled from multiple real-world scenarios. By combining insights from the BoK, professional assessments, and member contributions, we’ll create a hybrid organisation that illustrates how BIG works end-to-end. Summarised case material (suitably anonymised) will be available in the conference library.

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Session Format

Our Presenters

• Veronica Edward-Smith: PMO professional; BIG resonated as a solution to recurring organisational pain points.
• Greg Krawczyk: Chartered project professional; BIG has been a “game changer,” especially in simplifying delivery and reframing PMO work as strategy delivery.
• Alex Shapley: Programme recovery and governance specialist; long-term contributor to BIG; emphasises transparency, accountability and shared understanding across the whole organisation.
• David Dunning: Founder of BIG, motivated by frustration at weak strategy-to-delivery alignment and unclear accountability in organisations.
• Chris Bragg: Background in strategic performance and portfolio management; advocates integrated decision-making across strategy, projects, and BAU.

Example Sources

Our presenters will introduce themselves and signpost their examples:

• International Telecoms Organisation – drafted – blog here – Why Integrated Governance Matters: A Telecom Transformation Story
• Government Owned Utility
• Government
• International Mining Company
• Solutions Provider
• Wildlife Charity – Post here
• Financial Services – Detailed blog here
• Composite Example

(No Company names are provided to protect for privacy)

Please see below an extract from the session, introducing speakers and outlining their Integrated Governance Examples.

Panel Analysis

Our Panel discussed the key elements drawn from these examples – focusing on what matters most rather than the detail of each case.

• The pains or expectations each initiative aimed to address
• The level of sponsorship and stakeholder engagement
• The governance and accountability structures involved
• The overall solution design and components applied
• The benefits realised

Overall conclusions

• The same structural problems recur across organisations regardless of size.
• Integrated governance connects strategy, change, and operations through shared data, consistent accountability, and transparent decision-making.
• BIG offers a framework for achieving that integration, supported by leadership commitment and cultural change.

Outcomes

By the end of the session, our participants can:

• Recognise how BIG addresses pains common to many organisations
• Understand the level of sponsorship and engagement needed to launch a BIG initiative
• See how BIG components combine in practice
• Appreciate the diversity of scope across different organisations
• Learn how protagonists get BIG concepts onto the organisational agenda
• Hear how others overcame real challenges
• See the significant value BIG offers in improving strategy delivery and governance

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What Comes Next

The BIG Body of Knowledge (BOK) provides further guidance on the journey ahead, including:

• First Steps: from interested protagonist to active stakeholder in a change programme.
• From First Steps to Sustainment: building business cases, implementing components, and embedding culture change.
• Introduction to the BIG Journey: a framework to navigate the full lifecycle of adoption and integration.

Watch the Session

Become a FULL or a Conference Member to access the Bonus Collateral